I mentioned in one of my previous posts, ZFDebug – Zend Framework Plugin, that I have really enjoyed developing my personal web projects with Zend Framework. I am still pretty new to it and am constantly learning new tips, tricks, and best practices. Scouring the web for as much information as I can possibly consume, I came across this free online book. Zend Framework: Surviving The Deep End is comprised of ten chapters with three appendices from introducing Zend Framework to installing Zend Framework to developing a blog application with Zend Framework. You can find a full book index on the website.

As I see it there are three main advantages to this book:

1. Both the book itself and the code snippets within the book are freely available online and licensed appropriately. The book content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License and the code is licensed under a New BSD License. You can see the licensing information in Appendix C, part 2 - Licensing.
2. The content is well written, easy to understand, and well designed for beginners like myself. I don't have any first-hand reviews from advanced Zend Framework developers, but I have gone back to this book multiple times while working with Zend Framework on my own projects.
3. The book is open to user comments. This is a really neat idea. Not only are comments available, but you can comment on every paragraph of the book individually. There are a lot of comments out there already, many of which are quite helpful in reaffirming a statement made in the book or offering further information about the subject at hand.

If you are looking for some good help as you work with Zend Framework to develop your web projects like I was, I would recommend giving Zend Framework: Surviving The Deep End a chance. I have really enjoyed it.

Sams Teach Yourself books are great resources in a large array of topics. They have released Sams Teach Yourself Ajax, JavaScript, and PHP All in One in paperback version on July 12, 2008. This book is great for webmasters because it includes three of the most popular technologies used on the web.

Like all the rest of the "Sams Teach Yourself" line of books, this one is easy to follow, easy to understand, and takes you from a beginner to an intermediate and beyond. There are a number of visual aids including screenshots and diagrams to help you understand what you have read. Another great help is the amount of code examples used throughout the book; there are examples for most of the topics covered.

The book starts with a general overview at the beginning and works towards a more detailed explanation at the end. In chapter one, you will learn the basics of the web, HTML, CSS, and Ajax. By the end of chapter nine, you will understand JavaScript, using it to manipulate the DOM and add usability to your site. By chapter thirteen you will be using Ajax and by the end of chapter eighteen, you will be using Object Oriented PHP to make your site dynamic. Once you have taken all of that in, you can learn about XML responses, web services (REST and SOAP), and gain a basic understanding about a few popular Ajax tools and libraries that are available.

An added feature with this book is beyond the pages of helpful information. There is a CD provided with the book that includes all of the software needed to get a basic web server up and running. It includes XAMPP, jEdit, Prototype, Scriptaculous, Rico, XOAD, searchable PDF tutorials, and source code for the examples in the book. Most of these are freely available for download on the web, but it is nice to have them all in one place, especially for a beginner that doesn't know what to look for.

This book is well worth your time to read, especially if you are a beginner looking to get not only introduced to these web technologies, but also get started using them. You can pick up your copy at Amazon.com and get started building dynamic websites using Ajax, JavaScript, and PHP.

Techotopia offers free online books that cover a number of subjects including programming languages, security,  and Linux. The books are hosted on their wiki and are available to read online. The four main books that brought me to this site are:

• PHP Essentials
• MySQL Essentials
• JavaScript Essentials
• Ruby Essentials

As the website states that the "IT Essentials series of books are designed to provide detailed information that is accessible to both experienced and novice readers" (Techotopia). The books are clear and concise, providing detailed explanations and examples to help you understand the content. Each book is made up of multiple chapters in a logical and easy to follow order. You can access the table of contents from every page which makes it easy to skip around quickly and easily to look at what you find interesting and useful.

As well as the four books mentioned above, you can find books on these topics:

• Ubuntu
• Fedora
• OpenSUSE
• C#
• Visual Basic
• Security+ Essentials

FreeTechBooks.com is a website dedicated to programming books, textbooks, and notes. The content is 100% free and 100% legal. There are hundreds of books spread out among seven main categories with many subcategories within each main category. The seven main categories are Computer Science Books, Mathematics Books, Supporting Fields Books, Operating System Books, Programming/Scripting Books, Miscellaneous Books, and General.

You can find the books you are interested in by using the main and subcategories mentioned above, by looking at the most popular books listed on the left hand menu, or by using the search function to locate a book based on keyword(s), author(s), and/or other criteria. The site is updated regularly with news and comments as well as regular additions to the book collection, the most recent being the IT Security Cookbook, which was added on August 16, 2008.

Beyond the books, there is a community that you can register and be a part of. This allows you to post comments to the forum as well as be in contact with the other people that are interested in the same type of information you are. Registration is not necessary, but it is an option.

Be sure to check out the website and get all the free information you can. This is a great free and legal resource that allows us to "view, download and with a very few exceptions, print the books for your own private use at no charge. In fact, you are encouraged to tell others about the books" (FreeTechBooks.com).